The present invention relates to a foundation for a child car seat, and particularly to a seat foundation that mounts and supports a child car seat on a seat in a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a seat foundation configured to set in an anchored position on a vehicle seat and to retain a child car seat in a generally fixed position thereon.
Child car seats are widely accepted as necessary appliances for transporting young children in automobiles or other vehicles. Infant car seats with detachable bases are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,345,791 to Bryans et al., 4,733,909 to Single II et. al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,177 to Meeker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,472 to Freese et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,113 to Meeker, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,008 to Cone, II.
According to the present invention, an apparatus is provided for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat having a seat belt. The apparatus includes a seat foundation that is adapted to lie upon the vehicle seat and that includes a base having an upper surface adapted to receive the child car seat thereon, spaced apart side walls extending away from the upper surface, and a seat-belt mounting catch positioned to lie between the side walls and an auxiliary belt coupled to the base. The auxiliary belt is adapted to cooperate with the base to couple the child car seat upon the seat foundation.
The car seat has a seat base sized for placement upon the upper surface of the seat foundation base between the side walls of the base, a child-receiving seat supported by the seat base, a back portion extending from the child-receiving seat, and an aperture formed in the back portion and an auxiliary belt coupled to the base. The auxiliary belt extends through the aperture formed in the back portion and cooperates with the base to couple the car seat selectively upon the seat foundation in a mounted position.
A method is provided herein for enhancing the stability of a child car seat having a seat base, a seat portion, and a seat back formed to include an aperture therein upon a vehicle car seat having a seat bottom, a seat back, and a seat belt having a lap portion and a shoulder portion is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a seat foundation including a base having an upper surface, a lower surface, a back edge, a front edge, spaced apart side walls extending away from the upper surface between the rear and front edges, and a slot extending through the base, the slot having short channels positioned to lie adjacent the side walls and a long channel extending between the short channels.
The method further includes the steps of providing an auxiliary belt that is coupled to the base selectively, positioning the base upon the seat bottom, extending the lap portion of the seat belt across the side walls and upper surface of the base, and pressing the lap portion into the long channel of the slot and toward the back edge of the base until the seat belt extends through the short channels and a portion of the seat belt is positioned to lie adjacent the lower surface of the base. In addition, the method includes the steps of positioning the seat base of the car seat upon the upper surface of the seat foundation, extending the auxiliary belt from the base through the aperture formed in the seat back of the car seat, and tightening the auxiliary belt until the seat base of the car seat is coupled to the upper surface of the seat foundation in a mounted position.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.